Psalm23Farm: New sheep and WI sheep and Wool

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

New sheep and WI sheep and Wool

I bought two ewes from Theresa Gygi and she brought them to the WI Sheep and Wool Festival for me. Thanks Theresa!

Sabbath Farm Swan is a nice musket ewe with a fine primitive/intermediate fleece that is very silky. Sawn is also super friendly and wags her tail when getting patted.

Sabbath Farm Silvia is a gray with a nice wavy fleece and it is a nice blue color underneath. Silvia is pretty tame too.

Both ewes have great conformation and are well proportioned. Both are bigger than most of my ewes and I hope to improve size with them. (I had a ewe who was 55-60# after weaning her lamb a big 65# BFL cross, but I culled her as I don't think she could do two lambs. Most of my ewes are bigger than that, but that is an example.) I'm going to pure breed them both, but did not decide who to yet.

I had a good time at Jefferson and got to see Angora goat friends, Shetland friends and fiber friends. I sold more than last year so I'm happy. Sales were really good on Friday, but slower on Saturday-which is weird as Saturdays are normally the best. I'm buying some new sheep coats (to replace the ones that were beyond repair) and I'm going to try jacketing my goats. I threw out a lot of mohair this spring :( . I'm also going to get my winter hay (at least some) with the money I made.

I'm kind of sad I did not save any fleeces to show as the fleece show was way down in number from last year and I don't want the fleece show to die out. I'm going to show several fleeces next year!

3 comments:

TheresaSeptember 17, 2009 at 1:31 AM
It looks like both of the girls have settled in nicely! Glad to see that they went to a really great home!
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Becky UtechtSeptember 17, 2009 at 5:57 AM
Nice looking ewes you bought Laura! I've found that raising the BFL crosses can take a lot out of a ewe. I sold off the ones I had who couldn't handle it and kept the ones who retained condition.
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Nancy K.September 17, 2009 at 7:59 AM
Your new girls are LOVELY! Congratulations on some nice additions to your flock.
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Welcome to Psalm 23 Farm

I'm breeding my NASSA registered Shetland sheep for fine and med. fine lustrous single coated fleeces in both the crimpy and the locky, wavy fleece styles. I have a wide range of colors and makings as well as the bright pure whites. I'm emphasizing on production, mothering ability and sound conformation. I have both horned and naturally polled Shetland rams and a few horned Shetland ewes.

I also produce fast growing grass-fed market lambs and commercial ewes with excellent fleece. (Shetland x Coopworth and Shetland x Australian Corriedale.) These F1 (first generation cross) ewes are great maternal ewes to put under a terminal sire for the ultimate grass fed market lamb.

Angora goats are my other love. I'm selecting for fine yearling grade mohair in adult animals. All of my goats are CAGBA (colored) or AAGBA (white) registered. I'm also selecting for sound healthy goats.

Posts will be about the Shetlands and Angoras with an occasional post about the other animals on the farm. Posts will also be about wool, spinning and a variety of other topics.

Psalm 23 Farm sells raw "jacketed" wool and mohair fleeces, mohair locks, dyed and natural Shetland and Shetland/mohair roving. Also sheepskins, quilt batts, handspun yarn, mohair lock yarn, and mill spun yarn.

From the Shetland Sheep Society

"Shetland sheep have for generations been noted for their very soft and well crimped fleece. The wool is the finest of all native breeds and shows an amazing variety of colours and patterns. There are 11 main whole colours and 30 recognized markings.

By selecting from coloured fleeces a range of naturally coloured yarn can be produced. This eliminates the need for dyeing and therefore retains the soft feel of the natural fibre and is favoured by those who prefer a totally natural approach.

Shetland wool fibres are of a simple construction witha central cortex covered by a thin scaly cuticle, and have an average diameter of about 23 microns. However there is a range from 10-20 microns for neck and shoulder wool to 25 to 35 microns for britch wool. the average staple length is 3.5 inches. The amount of crimp varies, and is most important in providing the 'bounce' required for knitwear. There is a positive correlation between fineness and crimp, with wool of the finest quality being crimped at between 8 and 12 to the inch. Wool from Shetland sheep is used to produce gossamer lace, the famous 'Fair Isle' knitwear, and fine tweeds. Pure bred Shetland sheep tend to shed their fleece in spring. The growth of new fleece can cause a rise or weak point and where this is present the fleece can sometimes be plucked or 'rooed' by hand. The timing of this can be different in each sheep, however, it is worth taking the care to get it right as rooed fleece can be amongst the softest because the fibers have no harsh cut ends as occurs with a sheared fleece.

Shetland fleece can be handspun straight from the fleece or made into rolags and then woollen spun. It can also be worsted spun by hand, used on a peg loom or handwoven. It also felts well using either dry or wet methods. When processed commercially the wool can be made into the finest lightweight worsted cloth or heavier weight, harder wearing fabrics and tweeds."

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

New sheep and WI sheep and Wool

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